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KOBA with Vincent Mantsoe

April 29-May 3 / 10am-12pm

May 6-10 / 10am-12pm

Location

Dovercourt House / 805 Dovercourt Rd, 1st Floor

Cost

$75 - Full Week
$16 - Advance
$17 - Door

Category

What's On, Workshops

About This Project

“KOBA” (bend) is a unique training method developed by South African dancer and choreographer Vincent Mantsoe, which is grounded in three fundamental elements: the breath, the cycle of energy in movement, and the natural positions of the body. The practice draws on these principles to generate movement from the internal to the external, to reach a place where one can “swim in a pool of energy within, to transcend the physical limitations of the body.”

Vincent’s work is influenced by his training in Graham, Western contemporary dance, traditional African dance, Japanese Bhutoh and Tai Chi. By observing his grandmother and the elders in his village, he noticed that they would often undertake demanding physical tasks in extremely harsh conditions for long periods of time with ease. The KOBA technique is based on his study of the body within this context, which has formed the foundation for his practice.

This is a contemporary dance class, with live accompaniment by master drummer Amara Kanté.

ABOUT VINCENT

Vincent Mantsoe is one of South Africa’s leading post-apartheid choreographers. His company Association Noa Company Vincent Mantsoe creates contemporary African work that represents a true global culture of both dancers and disciplines. Growing up in Soweto, South Africa, Mantsoe started his dance training at a young age in the midst of the political unrest of the Apartheid. He grew up in a family of healers, combining ritual, song and dance, and has since become an internationally acclaimed performer, instructor and choreographer. Primarily a solo performer, he has toured and also created work for ensembles including Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York City and COBA (Collective of Black Artists) in Toronto.

From 1997 until 2001, Mantsoe was associate artistic director of MID. Mantsoe’s choreography combines traditional African dance with contemporary, aboriginal, Asian and ballet influences in a cross-cultural Afro-fusion style. Acknowledging the influence of spirituality in his creative work, Mantsoe describes a process of “borrowing from the ancestors,” noting the importance of understanding and appreciating the sources of his traditional movements. Mantsoe has toured internationally, performing at venues including The Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC; the Dance Umbrella in London, England; and Canada’s National Arts Centre in Ottawa. He has won many awards, including top prize at the Vth and VIth Rencontres chorégraphique de Bagnolet (officially the Rencontres chorégraphique internationales de Seine-Saint-Denis) in 1996 and 1998. In 1999, he received the Prix du Peuple at the Festival international de nouvelle danse in Montréal, Canada and in 2015 he received a Dora Award for Outstanding Male Performance.

ABOUT AMARA

Amara Kanté is a world-renowned Master percussionist, composer and teacher. His repertoire of instruments include: Djembe drum, Dunun drums, Talking-drum, Bolon, Krin, Bara and Congas. Originally from Guinea and born in Ivory Coast, Amara is a Malinké from the ancient caste of blacksmiths. He began drumming at the age four and by the age seven was touring as a professional artist throughout Africa, the United States and Europe. His signature sound can be heard on various recordings and soundtracks, including for some of World Music’s greatest icons such as Peter Gabriel, François Moity, Big Sugar, Mory Kanté, Kassé Mady Diabaté and Judy Mowatt to name a few. Amara is co-founder of KOURABA, a Toronto-based non-profit organization that promotes world music and dance traditions.